Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-03-03
THE NEW PARTY.
Proceedings Of the Convention Called
at Cincinnati to Form a
New Party.
A Number or Women Delegates In At
tendance-The Platform
Adopted.
FIRST DAY.

FIRST DAY.
The Industrial Labor Conference was
called to order ut Cincinnati on Tuesday,
Feb. %, by b. s. Heath, of Chicago,
Chairman of the Executive Committee,
with all the States represented except six.
Ten women we're delegates, among them
Miss Marion Todd of Battle Creek, Mich,
Mrs. Heath of Chicago, and Mrs. DR.. Sew
erance of milwaukee,.
The conference was opened with prayer
by the Rev. Mr.. Lockwood, Baptist. Mr..
Richard Trevellick was chosen temporary
Chairman. The Rev. Mr. Lockwood made
an address of welcome, in which he said he
favored labor organization. The riot at
Pittsburgh was the result Of labor unor-
ganized-the peaceful strike in New York
was the result of labor organized. APP
plause. The convention by q rising vote
gave thanks to the minister who had the
courage to speak as this minister had done. =
At the evening session letter was read
from Gen. j. B. Weaver, OF Iowa, regret
ting his inability 10 be present. He sug-
gested that the platform should chiefly re-
late to land, money, and transportation.
He favored the election of Senators of the
United States by direct vote of the people
Of the States. He begged the convention
to not put any new and startling principles
in the platform. In conclusion he said:
$50 ahead; strike hard. Thy people shall
be my people, and thy God shall be my
God" Mr.. E. E. Haaf urged the confer
ence to declare for prohibition. If that
was done the party would have the prayers
of every woman in the whole country, and
of every man and child who has felt the
sting of the curse of the open saloon. His
address was frequently and heartily ap-
plauded. +. p. Smith, in reply, said If this
party should kill the Prohibition party it
would drive 800, 900 votes back into the Re-
publican party.
These permanent officers were chosen:
President, A. j. Streeter, of Illinois; Vice
Presidents, Richard f. Trevellick of Michi-
gan, M. ]. Kane of Iowa, b. S. Heath of
Illinois, j. III. Allen of Indiana, and others;
Secretary, M. d. Shaw of Missouri; As
sistant Secretary, w. ID. 2. Bliss of Mas
sachusetts; Reading Clerk, George d..
Lennon of New York. Mr.. G.. A. Power
of Indiana asked the conference to favor
the repeal of the present pension laws and
the equitable adjustment of the soldiers
claims, by which soldiers should be paid
the difference between the paper they re-
ceived and the value of gold, every soldiers
discharge to be his pension certificate.
A resolution favoring eight hours as q
days work in all Government, Stete, and
municipal employment was referred.
Miss Marion Todd of Miebi6~a -~~da a
speech in which she said that the laborlng
man had been disfranchised by the machin-
ations of grinding monopolists and by the
gross evils of the wages system of this
eouptrv. Fiunder was not obtained through
epecial legislation, through officials, through
the militia, through the Pinkertons-"what
shall call them?" she asked. Cries OF
"Assassins," "Murderers," Numbering
thieves."l II leave the saying of the bad
words to the gentlemen" said the speaker.
She thought Henry George did not go far
enough; that he did not see the evil of the
money system. She was heard with in
tense qualification and given rousing vote
of thanks.
SECOND DAY.
The business not being pressing, dele
gate moved that gavel be procured for
the use OF the chairman, and the vote was
formally taken and carried.
The Committee on Resolutions not being
ready to report, Mr.. G.. l.. Jones, OF Wis
consin, got the floor by consent, and said
the main question before the country was
to get rid of the public and corporate in
debtness Of this country. He supported
great burden on the people caused by the
interest bearing debt. The remedy he pro-
posed was by law to reduce and to remove
that debt. This included graduated in
come tax, the lending of money by the
Government to the States; the States 10
lend TO the counties, and the counties to
the smaller municipalities; the Government
to lend at per cent. the States at 2 per
cent, and the counties at 3 per cent.
On motion Of Mrs. Severance. of Wiscon-
sin, the rules were suspended and Mr..
Crocker, of Kansas, was permitted TO ex-
plain the Oklahoma movement, and to pre-
sent preamble and resolution in regard to
that matter. Mr.. Crocker proceeded to read
a preamble reciting the action Of Congress
with reference to the acquiring of that
ground, its grant to the railroad company,
and its subsequent forfeiture, and declaring
that this land is now in the possession of a
vast cattle syndicate by undue influence of
the United States courts, the army and 9TH
or officers, and closed by q resolution Sc
verely censuring the action of the present
administration, and demanding the passage
| Of the now pending Oklahoma bill, and if
this Congress does not pass this bill, then
requesting the President to convene the
next Congress in extra session to pass the
bill.
| Mr.. Crocker then, in an impassioned
manner, went on to speak of the wrongs of
the Oklahoma colonists. His point was
that the railroad corporation and the cattle
syndicate we're holding possession of that
country by the power of military mob.
He would not call it an army; II was n mill
tary mob. He pictured the peaceful pur-
poses Of the settlers, anxious to get homes,
and the gross outrages inflicted on them
arrested, subjected TO indignities; in one
case resulting in death to the wife of one
Of these men seeking home. He closed
with the hope that his resolutions, when
presented for action, would be adopted
without dissenting vote.
Calls were made for Jesse Harper, OF
Illinois. and he appeared and made ring.
ing and characteristic speech, the chief
burden being the wrong caused by the wat
cred stock Of the railroad and telegraph
monopolies. He declared that the coming
child of promise would swear by all the
gods that there shall be no freight OF
passenger rates on watered stock.
Mr.. Eaton of Illinois, by unanimous
consent, offered q scheme for the organiza-
ton of the new party, outlining a plan fol
local club organization, and accompanied il
with explanations.
Mrs. Elizabeth Culbertson of Michigan
and Mrs. e. V. Emery, also Of Michigan
made addresses.
Chairman Robert Schilling, Of the Com.
mittee on Resolutions, presented the repor
of that committee. He explained the lon(
delay in preparing IL by saying that the
many interests involved and the suggestion
made, amounting to more than two hund
red In all, necessitated much time in agree
ing upon platform. The reading was yo
ciferously applauded. Following is th'
platform: